Catalog
1⁄12 Ecu - Louis I
| Issuer | Monaco |
|---|---|
| Year | 1674-1681 |
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| Composition | Silver |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Crowned shield bearing the arms of Monaco — five horizontal rows of lozenges (fusils) arranged in the Grimaldi heraldic tradition — surmounted by a princely crown with a flat-topped form featuring five visible diamonds across its upper edge. The shield is set within a circular Latin legend containing the ruler's titles and the date, all within a beaded border. |
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| Reverse lettering | · DVX · VALEN · PAR · FRANCI · &c · 1678 |
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| Additional information |
Louis I ruled Monaco under French protection following the Treaty of Péronne in 1641, which bound the Grimaldis tightly to the French crown — a dependency clearly reflected in his coinage, which mirrors the monetary reforms of Louis XIV almost exactly. The 1⁄12 écu denomination itself was a product of that 1640s French reform, designed to regularize fractional silver across the realm and its client states.
The KM#41.2 and 41.3 distinctions within this issue reflect minor die variations documented across the striking period rather than any change in monetary policy or issuing authority.